Mother Friend
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and sixty-nine: Kurt does something for his father, and gets to connect with Carole.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th cycle. Now cycle 13!_

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**"Mother Friend"  
Kurt & Carole **

He'd seen his father fret over what to get Carole for her birthday long enough; he had to do something and help him out. He was still having issues with the whole arrangement, but he wasn't going to let his father down, either. That wasn't how he did things. So he took it upon himself to find something. This meant she needed to get in touch with the source, the birthday girl.

Rather than showing up and having to work around Finn, he decided to wait until Finn was off to basketball practice. He still hadn't gotten used to the Hudsons being in the house all the time, sharing in everything from bathroom time to food, to general space and personal… issues. On his part, he knew more or less what it was that caused a hang up. It wasn't even about Finn and his dad having that whole guy bond thing going. It was part of it, but really it wasn't the real one, the big one. The thing was… filling the empty spot, passing on the title of mother. It had been ten years, but her memory was still the thing that kept him going. She may not have been there anymore, but in his heart she would never leave. By that logic, there just was no space for someone new to come in.

Carole Hudson, he was sure, was a good woman. Kurt had spent a certain amount of time with her, primarily when he'd made her over. That wasn't an issue. She was like an innocent victim in this whole scenario… She just couldn't know.

Kurt found her in the kitchen. He had to admit, on that end, it felt good to have someone else in the house with more than basic culinary abilities. When she saw him, she gave a smile.

"Hey, Kurt. Feel like giving me a hand with this?" she asked. He nodded slowly, moved to assist. "You're a life saver. It took longer at the store," she shook her head.

"No problem," he told her. They both worked quietly for a while. Kurt was still trying to find his 'present' solution, but he didn't want her to know this. "Is… everything alright with you here? I mean, in the house…" Carole hesitated at the question, trying to figure it out, then smirked.

"Yes, it's fine, I… It takes getting used to, after living in our old house all this time, but… I'm happy, and Finn's adjusting, so… it's good."

Kurt realized he'd been staring at her as she spoke, and he looked back down to what he was supposed to do. He wasn't getting any closer to anything either. If anything, he'd opened a door for her, whether he wanted it opened or not.

"Look, I realize what you must see me as. I swear though, that is not what I'm trying to do, okay?" She wasn't even doing it on purpose, he knew that, but still she just sounded… motherly. He could feel it in his heart. "It's as confusing for you as it is for me, and your father, and Finn… We all have this baggage, and we can either… find a way to work with it, or live our lives sidestepping it. As obvious as it'll sound, we could try and be… friends." Things were quiet for a moment, and Carole figured she would get no answer, so she got back to work…

"I do want a mother…" She looked up. "… sometimes. But when I do… I got back thinking… I already have one." He paused. "Had one…" He looked down to his chopping block, willing for it to hide any tears which might escape in this moment.

"Whatever you feel you need, whatever role you want me to fill, I will do it. You just remember that." He didn't reply, but this time the silence wasn't mute… this time it spoke, lots.

He hadn't had to 'mine' her for clues about her present after all. He'd only had to spend this brief moment with her, and he had picked up on a feel. Now he knew where to direct his father in his purchases.

He'd get her something as well. He wanted to try now. He wanted to give her a chance, because he did need her.

THE END


End file.
